First Impressions
by bigdamnxenafan
Summary: SGA AU where John and Elizabeth meet in the "Vegas" universe.


1

First Impressions

The fireball was the last thing he remembered before the world went black. That was it the – end, finito, over and out, – or so he thought. Leave it to McKay to screw up his noble sacrifice by sending help where none was wanted or needed in Sheppard's opinion. It wasn't like he had much to live for anyway.

Even so it was almost a relief when he awoke in the infirmary of the SGC beneath Cheyenne Mountain. When he first regained consciousness, he thought he was the victim of a cosmic practical joke. _Figures hell is a dark place with slate gray walls. _He'd laughed to himself. Then he caught sight of the young doctor, the one McKay had sent to play M.E. during his investigation. What was her name – Kelly or maybe Keller? Yeah, Keller; that was it. He realized this wasn't the proverbial hell, just the one he'd been living in and thought he'd escaped. _Shit!_ It wasn't that he was suicidal, not really; he just didn't see any point in going on.

McKay paid him a visit shortly after he regained consciousness. John thanked him for saving his life. It was after all the decent thing to do, and say what they would about John Sheppard, he was a decent man. Of course, Rodney's insufferable smugness over being his benefactor yet again made him wish he'd been a little more indecent about it, but it had been said and there was no taking it back. John would have to live with that choice.

"You know while you're doling out gratitude, you might want to thank me for getting you reinstated in the Air Force with full rank and privileges. Not to mention having your record expunged," Rodney said gloatingly.

"What the hell did you do that for?" John sat up abruptly. If he could get his arm to work properly he was going to strangle McKay. Wincing, he laid back, a sharp stab of pain in his side putting an end to thoughts of violence. "I've got no use for the military and they sure as hell got no use for me," he said through gritted teeth.

"Maybe not," Rodney said, sidestepping the nurse who rushed over to check on Sheppard. "But I have a use for you on my team back in Atlantis. I think we can both know there's nothing here on Earth for you, but I believe there's a place for you in the Pegasus Galaxy." McKay paused for dramatic effect. "I think we can also both agree that I'm rarely wrong, so consider the offer."

"Work for you? I may be crazy but I'm not stupid."

The nurse injected something into the IV and the room got a bit fuzzy.

"Think about it," McKay said, backing toward the door.

John got the satisfaction of seeing Keller berate Rodney for antagonizing her patient before he drifted off. He was still smiling when he awoke several hours later.

He didn't see Rodney again that day or the next. He did think about the offer. In fact it was all he thought about. Honestly, there wasn't much else to do in the infirmary besides think. A tiny part of him was curious. He knew very little of Atlantis; however, the idea of getting off this rock was oddly appealing. Sheppard grudgingly admitted McKay had a point. There wasn't anything left for him here anyway.

Finally, he sent for Rodney. "Okay, I'll do it. I'll take the spot on your team."

Rodney didn't appear surprised in the least. "Excellent. Dr. Weir's trip to the SGC won't be wasted. If you can get past the interview process, you're in."

"Wait a minute...who's Dr. Weir? And what's this about an interview? You offered me a spot on your team remember? I thought you were in charge. Why would I have to interview with anyone?" John was thoroughly baffled and slightly peeved at this development.

Rodney waved his hand in a dismissive manner. "Yes, yes, I'm in charge of the team. However, the Atlantis Expedition itself is led by Dr. Elizabeth Weir. She'll be the one to interview you and pending her approval you'll be allowed to transfer to Atlantis and join the team when you've recovered."

John blinked. "Dr. Elizabeth Weir, huh? How come this is the first I'm hearing of her? I take it she's not military?" he asked irritably. He was rapidly tiring of McKay's little mind games.

"Need I remind you that much of what goes on inside this facility and its affiliates is classified. You don't yet have the clearance to be privy to every little detail," Rodney scoffed. "Dr. Weir, is indeed a civilian. She's also very capable, almost as competent as I, though I do set a rather high standard that would be difficult for anyone to live up to." Rodney cut the diatribe short under Sheppard's withering stare. "She's no-nonsense, tough, but fair. You shouldn't have a problem."

"She a physicist like you?" John asked.

"Nope, a diplomat. One of her doctorates is in political science, the other in linguistics."

John sighed heavily and fell back against the pillow. _Great, just great: a politician and a bureaucrat_, he lamented to himself. If there was anyone he got along with worse than superior officers it was politicians and bureaucrats and this woman was both. Not to mention, an intellectual. Intellectuals like McKay had a habit of looking down their noses at him. And she had to be like a hundred, he reasoned, what with her being a doctor in two fields. Yep, he was screwed. "Okay, so when does this alleged interview take place?" John was starting to picture something more like an interrogation.

"Tomorrow if you're up for it," Rodney said. "All I have to do is pass on the word and she'll stop by the infirmary at ten sharp to interview you. We would do the formal interview in a briefing room, but Dr. Keller thinks it best you remain in the infirmary. You know, due to your excitable nature and all." Rodney bit back a chuckle.

"I'll show you excitable, Mr. Wizard," John growled.

"Ah now, temper, temper." Rodney waved a scolding finger in his direction. "Wouldn't do to piss off the one person who actually thinks you could amount to something now, would it."

It didn't make him any less angry to concede Rodney had a point. "All right fine, I'm excitable. Get your laughs while you can. If I can be as effective a member of your team as you believe, you won't be laughing long after I get to Atlantis."

Rodney smiled. "I'm counting on that. As for the laughs, I have a feeling no matter how exemplary your performance, there will be plenty to laugh about. Your methods are too unconventional for it to be any other way."

"You must approve of my methods or you wouldn't be trying to recruit me," Sheppard observed. His tone was less hostile now. Though Rodney's words were harsh and abrasive, John detected a genuine warmth about him. Granted he had to filter through a lot of bullshit and bluster to get to it, but it was there. Why else would McKay go so far out of his way to help him?

Rodney shrugged, a tiny smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Maybe, maybe I could just use the laughs." He turned and headed toward the door. "See you around, Sheppard. Good luck tomorrow," he called over his shoulder as he exited the infirmary.

John lay back and closed his eyes. He had to formulate a plan of attack. This Dr. Weir was an obstacle. One he was confident he could overcome, if he knew what to expect. He had just under twenty four hours to plan his attack. Rodney hadn't volunteered much and Sheppard was loath to ask him for another favor. No matter, John would come up with something. Thinking on his feet, that's was what he did best. Wasn't it? The situation definitely called for a recon mission. So, he had to figure a way out of the infirmary.

He pulled out all the stops with Keller. First he tried the ol' Sheppard charm; it wore her down a bit, but it wasn't as effective as he'd hoped. Then he tried reasoning with her that a change of scenery would do him good. When that didn't work he resorted to outright begging. That got results. Keller allowed him to leave the infirmary escorted by an orderly under the pretense that he was going to have lunch in the main cafeteria today. It wasn't far and Keller finally conceded that it might do him good to get out and move about a bit.

John went along complacently, but just before they got to the cafeteria he ditched the orderly. That Zelenka guy had seemed pretty friendly, maybe if John could find him he could get him to give him a heads up about Weir. He realized he was pretty conspicuous in his blue scrubs, but John Sheppard had learned a trick or two in his time. He was peering around a corner contemplating his next move when the hair on the back of his neck prickled. Someone had walked up behind him. Someone who smelled really nice, his brain noted before he help himself. Cursing himself for being so careless, he turned around and was greeted by the nicest smile he'd seen in a long time. The smile belonged to a woman. A very attractive woman at that. John's brain froze momentarily and he smiled back in a rather dazed fashion.

"Aren't you supposed to be in the infirmary, fly-boy?" The woman asked with a sardonic smirk.

He looked into her eyes, which he noticed were an interesting shade of green. "Uh, what? Oh, maybe. What makes you think I'm a patient? I could be a doctor, you know."

Her eyebrow quirked as she looked him over appraisingly. "Hmm, not many doctors I know walk around with an IV attached."

His eyes followed hers to the plastic bag on the pole he'd been carting around. He managed to look sufficiently sheepish. "Okay, good point. Would you believe I'm lost?"

She shook her head. "Keep trying."

"Damn, looks like I'm busted," he laughed. Flashing the woman his most charming grin, he decided to come clean. "All right, I'm on an intelligence gathering mission of sorts. Dr. Elizabeth Weir...do you know her?"

That seemed to amuse his companion even more. Her eyes sparkled merrily as she replied, "I know her quite well actually. Why would you want to know about her?"

John got the distinct impression she was silently laughing at a joke he didn't get. "Uh, well, see, I got this interview with her tomorrow, and Dr. McKay won't tell me what to expect, except that she's tough and a politician. Oh and she'd got all these degrees and such which means she's spent half of her life in school. I'm guessing she's got to be like a hundred and I've never hit it off with the school marm type, so I thought I'd do a little digging on my own." God, why was he telling this woman all this. _Shut up Sheppard, be cool_, he told himself. With his luck this was Dr. Weir's best friend or worse.

"Wow, if that's your impression of her, no wonder you're intimidated." Her lips quirked into a bemused smile. "For the record, did you come up with the school marm thing or did Dr. McKay?"

"I did," Sheppard replied uncertainly. Just then the orderly assigned to him bolted around the corner, cutting off the conversation as he came to an abrupt halt in front of them.

"No fair giving me the slip, man," he scolded Sheppard before turning to the woman. "Thanks for finding him and holding him up until I could get here, Dr. Weir. Keller would have killed me if I went back empty handed."

"No problem, I found the conversation to be most...enlightening," she replied with a wry smirk.

John's heart dropped into his stomach. _Or worse_, yep, this was definitely worse. "You're Dr. Weir?"

"Yes, that's me, the dreaded Dr. Elizabeth Weir in the flesh." Elizabeth grinned. "And you're the ne'er do well John Sheppard, who has a habit of putting his foot in his mouth."

John gulped. "That's me. Love that shoe leather." Damn, he'd blown it. He hadn't even made it to the interview and he'd blown it. Not just blown it -- firebombed his chances in the most spectacular fashion imaginable.

To his surprise she laughed. Not at him, but with him; at least he got that impression. It was a rather nice laugh too. "Nice to meet you, Major Sheppard." Elizabeth extended her hand. "I have to say you make one hell of a first impression."

Dazed he shook her hand. "Uh, thanks, I think. You could've told me who you were." He tried not to sound too petulant.

Elizabeth tilted her head thoughtfully to the side. "Yes, I could have, but that wouldn't have been nearly as much fun."

"If you say so." He couldn't help but return her smile as the orderly led him away.

"See you tomorrow, Major." She called after him.

John stopped. "You mean you're still going to interview me? After all that?"

Elizabeth laughed again. She really needed to stop doing that; John found it most unnerving, in a good way. So good it was distracting.

"It's not an interview, Major, it's a debriefing. I approved your transfer after reviewing your file. Didn't McKay tell you?"

John's jaw clenched. He was going to kill Rodney. Trying to be a good sport he managed a half smile. "No. Apparently, you're not the only one that likes having fun at my expense."

"Apparently," she called over her shoulder.

He stared down the hall after her until the orderly pulled him back toward the infirmary. Now more than ever John Sheppard was determined to join Rodney's team in Atlantis. All other reasons paled in comparison to the one he'd just discovered: getting to know the "dreaded" Dr. Elizabeth Weir.


End file.
